


Totentanz

by nauticalparamour



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Halloween, Loss of Virginity, Spooky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-23
Updated: 2012-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,276
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28615419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nauticalparamour/pseuds/nauticalparamour
Summary: Despite being a witch, something has always fascinated Hermione about the spooks and haunts of October. She isn't excepting to find love, though, this Halloween. However, one of her friends is not so happy about it and is determined that make her his - at any and all costs. Theo/Hermione, meant to be a spooky and scary Halloween love story.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Theodore Nott
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	Totentanz

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally published to FanFiction.Net in October 2012. This was edited for grammar and clarity in January 2021. I had some themes in this that weren't fully developed, so I think at some point I might come back and finish fleshing it out. Anyway, here's your warning for character death. Enjoy!

**A/N:** This was edited for grammar and clarity in January 2021. I had some themes in this that weren't fully developed, so I think at some point I might come back and finish fleshing it out. Anyway, here's your warning for character death. Enjoy!

* * *

Coming back to Hogwarts had been a mistake.

It seemed like such a good idea over the summer - the thought of returning to a life of normalcy after a year on the run from Voldemort with Harry and Ron. She could forget about the fighting and just be a normal teenager again, for a little while. She wanted to escape the death that seemed to hover around her like a thick shroud she couldn't shake off.

Hermione had thought returning to Hogwarts would be freeing.

But instead, it only felt suffocating.

Pushing the doors of the castle open, Hermione sighed in relief once she was outside. The crisp October air was setting a chill to her bones, but she welcomed the feeling. She took a deep breath and surveyed the grounds.

There was a thick fog settling over Hogwarts, so heavy that Hermione was barely able to see more than a few feet in front of her. A smile came over her face. _This_ was the exact reason why she loved autumn so much. The sharp crispness, the changing colors, the overall spookiness filled her with a sort of thrill that she looked forward to every year.

Despite the fact that she was surrounded by things that would frighten any muggle, like poltergeists, ghosts, magical spells, hexes, and that she was in fact _a witch_ , Hermione couldn't deny that there was something more eerie and a bit sinister about a nighttime fog in October.

Needing to put more distance between her and the castle, Hermione walked towards the Forbidden Forest. She happily took a bite of the apple that she'd grabbed from the table when she'd left dinner in a huff.

Bitterly, she thought that being one third of the team who'd finally brought Voldemort to his knees would mean eternal happiness, but apparently for Hermione it was not the case.

Things _had_ seemed great for a time. She and Ron had even dated for a while after their impulsive kiss in the Chamber of Secrets. But, apparently Ron was too enamored at the idea of being a war hero - one who had witches throwing themselves at him - to remain tied down for too long. They drifted apart and Ron eventually suggested they go on a break.

Hermione insisted that they were over for good. She wasn't just going to wait around for him to be done sowing his wild oats. Ron had reluctantly agreed and Hermione now watched him date a revolving door of witches over the summer, without a second thought to her.

Harry and Ron had decided to join her at Hogwarts for their "Eighth Year" after a little bit of cajoling from Molly Weasley and herself. She regretted that now. She should have just let them join auror training immediately like they had been offered.

Ron grew increasingly frustrated with their non-relationship when they returned to school. He was incredibly protective of her and jealous of any wizard she talked to, despite regularly hooking up with Lavender.

Tonight it seemed that it was Neville who set Ron off. He told Hermione that he wouldn't "allow him to look at her _that_ way," which Hermione had absolutely no clue what that meant. In spite of her constant reminders that Neville was very happily dating Hannah Abbott, he wouldn't give it up. It had made Hermione so furious that she just had to leave and get away from that red haired git!

When she made it all the way to the Forest's edge, Hermione wished that she had maybe grabbed her cloak. Her dark skinny jeans tucked into brown leather boots and large cream, cable knit sweater were perfectly fine inside, but out here it left a little to be desired.

Tucking her nose into the fabric of her sweater, Hermione breathed in and let the flood of memories wash over her. She faithfully spritzed the sweater with her mother's perfume whenever she wore it, unwilling to let go of them even though they were long gone.

Hermione had known that she wasn't likely to see her parents again when she removed their memories, but she'd been absolutely devastated to learn that they had been killed in a car accident in Australia when she tracked them down over the summer. It hurt more than ever to know that she would never get to apologize to them, or even to see them again. Their removal from her life was permanent.

Feeling the prickle of tears behind her eyes, Hermione knew she wasn't ready to return to the castle yet. She sat down near the path that overlooked the Black Lake. The last rays of sunlight were long gone, but she could see the shadow of the moon rising through the fog. She sat there until her apple was down to its core and her fingers sticky with its juice. Tossing the core over her shoulder, Hermione knew that it was time to go in.

She had been hiding out there long enough.

Standing up, she realized that the fog had become much denser while she was sitting there. WIth the moon partially obscured, it was getting darker by the second. A tingle of fear curled in her belly as the pleasant crunching of the leaves under her feet transformed into something more sinister.

Hermione sped up her steps and quickly realized that she was hearing a second set of footsteps following behind her. Her fear was quickly morphed from that fun, giddy kind that people get when they go to a haunted house, into the kind of fear that gripped her when they were sneaking into Gringotts.

Spinning on her heel, Hermione heard the footsteps stop as well. " _Lumos_ ," she whispered quietly, only to be disappointed that the fog hid any sign of a silhouette. "Show yourself!" she shouted.

Slowly, the footsteps began again and a giant figure emerged, half man, half horse.

Hermione pressed a hand to her chest to calm her racing heart. "Oh! Firenze, it's just you," she said, breathing a sigh of relief at seeing the familiar figure of her professor.

"I am sorry Miss Granger. I didn't mean to frighten you," he said in a crisp voice. Mercifully, he didn't question her being away from the school so late at night. "Please allow me to escort you back to the castle."

She sensed it was more of a command than an offer, but after the fright she had given herself, she wasn't keen on walking by herself.

"Miss Granger, I am afraid the stars have never been kind to you," he said, after a few moments of silence.

Hermione smiled at the Divination reference. "Well, maybe it's because they know I've never been kind to them. I just don't have a knack for it," she answered. "You of all people should know that."

She had approached Firenze at the beginning of the year, asking him to let her sit in on one lesson with the third years to see if she would do well under better tutelage than Professor Trelawney. Unfortunately, it seemed like she just had no talent for it.

"Be that as it may, Miss Granger, you still have a destiny. And I am afraid that destiny is perilous for you," he countered with a concerned look on his face. They had reached the castle. "I just want to remind you - love is very powerful and with every great power comes great danger. Please be careful."

Hermione could feel her heart beating against her rib cage, frightened by the warning from the half-man. "Well that is rather vague, but I promise to be especially careful," she said, laughing to break the tension.

Firenze did not return her smile.

"Thank you for seeing me back safely," she added, before walking through the huge oak doors and hearing them close behind her with a thud. Being in the warm, light castle did nothing to calm her nerves. She wanted to get back to the safety of her room as soon as possible.

Her steps quickened. By the time she was up the first three sets of stairs she was walking as fast as she possibly could without it being flat out running. She craved the comfort of the common room. As she was turning the corner near the library, she suddenly slammed into what felt like a wall.

A very warm wall.

Regaining her bearings, Hermione noticed that she was suddenly on the ground, as was the "wall" with books strewn all over the floor.

"Oh, I am _so_ sorry!" Hermione instantly apologized. "I was walking so fast and I just wasn't watching where I was gone."

She looked into the seemingly amused eyes of Theodore Nott. His eyes were a deep blue, nearly the color of denim. Hermione was confused as to why he seemed perfectly happy to be bowled over by Hogwarts biggest bookworm. She blushed under his intense scrutiny, but busied herself by picking up the rather large stack of books he'd been carrying.

One in particular piqued her interest. "Oh, _New Theory of Numerology!_ " she said with a grin. "Harry gave this to me for Christmas. It was a very good read. The theories are so interesting, but I haven't had a chance to apply them yet."

"Once I finish it, I will have to let you know what I make of it," he answered. His voice was deep and smooth, which surprised her. He never answered any questions in class so she had never really paid attention to his voice before. It made her feel giddy and she rather thought that she could listen to him talk about Arithmancy all day.

She flushed again at the thought. Then she reminded herself that it was nice to talk to _anyone_ who had an interest in Arithmancy outside of class.

Once all his books were collected, Nott helped her stand up.

"I would really like that," she answered earnestly, hoping that he was serious. "None of my friends are taking Arithmany and it's my favorite subject-"

Before she could continue, she was cut off by Ron's loud voice. "What are you doing talking to this Slytherin, Hermione?"

Hermione turned her head to glare at him. Didn't he realize that he'd already annoyed her enough that day with his accusations about Neville?

To her dismay, Nott quickly let go of her arm and gave her a half-smile. "Goodnight, Granger," he said. "Thanks for picking up my books." Then he turned away without a second thought, walking off in the direction of the dungeons.

Once Nott was out of earshot, Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "I can't _believe_ you Ronald! I was not doing anything wrong by talking to Nott. I ran into him and he dropped his books, so I was only helping him pick them up," she said with her sternest look. "And even if I was flirting with him, it would be none of your business!"

Ron was not phased by her rebuke. "Well, you didn't see it the way that I did. Nott was leering at you. It was disgusting," he sneered, as the two of them began walking up the stairs towards Gryffindor.

Hermione was utterly exasperated by him. "Not every boy at this school is trying to get in my pants, Ronald," she said, rolling her eyes. "Not Neville, not Nott, not anyone. And even if they were, you don't have permission to care. We aren't dating and haven't been for a long time."

Ron flushed with anger. "We could be together if you would just stop being so stubborn about it," he insisted.

She was growing angrier by the second. "Listen, Ron - _you_ were the one who decided that you wanted to see other witches. I will date whoever I want and you don't get a say anymore." She locked her jaw and clenched her teeth so that she wouldn't say something that might end their friendship.

Sometimes she couldn't believe him. He was always hanging on Lavender, and Hermione wondered if he was just trying to make her jealous. Well, it wasn't going to work. She couldn't care less whose throat he stuck his tongue down. What she did care about was him blowing up every time a wizard even looked at her.

Luckily, they had reached the common room in record time. Hermione quickly ran up the stairs to the girls' dorm without stopping to talk to anyone. She left Ron gaping at the bottom of the stairs. The eighth year girls shared with the seventh year dorm room, but there were still only four of them - her, Lavender, Parvati and Ginny. The rest of the girls in Ginny's year had declined to return after the war.

Right now, the room was blissfully empty.

Hermione laid down on her bed. It only took a few minutes in silence for her to forget about Ron and his overreactions. Her mind quickly wandered back to Theo Nott.

Nott was very smart, she knew that much. He was in all of her classes, so he was taking as many NEWTs as she was. He was by far the tallest wizard in their class, standing well over six feet tall. He was thin, but not skinny - more lean. His hair had been blond, making him almost the twin of Draco Malfoy when they were first years, but now it was the color of toffee.

His best feature had to be his eyes. She hadn't _really_ looked at them until today, but they were such a beautiful shade of blue.

Other than that, she didn't know much more about him. She knew his mother was dead long before they had started at Hogwarts and that his father had died during the War. He had been a much older man, apparently the only surviving Death Eater from Voldemort's school days. She also knew that he wasn't one of Malfoy's lackeys, which was refreshing out of a Slytherin. He was just sort of quiet and kept to himself.

Hermione rolled over onto her side and began looking through the small bedside table next to find her copy of _The New Theory of Numerology_. Opening it to the first page, she read until she fell asleep.

* * *

Four days after what Hermione was fondly referring to as "the incident" with Nott, she was oddly excited for her first Arithmancy class. Although she wouldn't admit it to herself, Hermione was excited to see Nott again, but she wasn't entirely sure why. It wasn't as if they'd become friends instantly.

She ate her breakfast at record speed and rushed off to the classroom. Arithmancy was by far her best subject so she had always enjoyed the class. It was also a class that she didn't share with any of the Gryffindors. Shamefully, this made her enjoy it even more, because at least she didn't have to help anyone with their homework in _one_ of her classes. Also, because it was an advanced course, everyone in the small class was very serious about their academics, which was a refreshing change.

Hermione was practically skipping by the time she got to the classroom. She wasn't entirely sure what she was hoping for. Maybe Nott would glance at her and give her some kind of knowing nod? Maybe he would stop her after class?

She was the first one in the classroom, arriving even before the professor. There was still twenty minutes before the class started. To busy herself, she pulled out her notes from the previous lecture. She was absorbed in her reading, quietly nibbling at her lip as she was known to do when she was concentrating. Hermione didn't even look up when Professor Vector came into the room or when someone slid into the seat next to her. Padma Patil usually sat next to her.

But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed rather large lands, pale, and with long fingers. They definitely did not belong to Padma.

Glancing up, Hermione gasped when she realized that it was actually Nott sitting next to her.

"Morning Granger," he said slyly. "You left breakfast early."

Hermione could feel her blush extend all the way to the tips of her ears. The fact that he had _noticed_ her leaving made her heart race. She was excited that he had noticed her, but too afraid to examine why.

"Yes, well, I wanted to read over my notes before class," she answered, biting her lip. His dark blue eyes reflected his amusement. "Listen, Nott-" Hermione began to apologize for the way that Ron had acted the night before, but was cut off by Professor Vector beginning the lecture.

Throughout class, Hermione tried to dutifully listen along, but she couldn't forget Nott's presence next to her. She could feel every muscle in her body tightening, so as not to accidentally brush against him while taking notes. When the lecture was over, Hermione hurried with putting things in her bag. Maybe she could apologize to him on the way towards the Great Hall.

But, when she turned towards his seat, he was already gone.

Hermione tried to mask her disappointment.

It didn't work.

* * *

While everyone else was spending their day in Hogsmeade Village, Hermione was making a trip back from Hagrid's hut. He had spent all summer cultivating a pumpkin for her. Well, more than one pumpkin actually.

She had been shocked when she saw the gigantic pumpkin sitting in front of his house. She should have known that Hagrid had a love of all things large, so she shouldn't have been too surprised...but still, she was relieved when he showed her her _actual_ pumpkin. It was much more reasonable - still large, but she was easily able to carry it back to the castle.

Hermione was excited to get it back to the Room of Requirement to partake in one of her favorite Halloween pastimes. It had been years since she'd carved a jack-o-lantern, because of going to Hogwarts. She couldn't think of a better time to make one, as there would be no one around to look for her or bother her. Harry, Ginny, Ron and Lavender had made their way down to Hogsmeade after breakfast.

There was no way she was going to be a fifth wheel on _that_ wagon.

The castle was completely quiet except for the wind that beat against each window. She quickly made her way up to the seventh floor, finding the familiar tapestry across the corridor from the door to the Room of Requirement. Walking back and forth several times, Hermione imagined a place to carve her pumpkin.

Her heart clenched tightly when she entered. It was _her_ house.

Or, her old house.

Her parents, not remembering that they had ever had a daughter, sold it before they moved to Australia. Smiling, she realized that it was _exactly_ how she had left it - warm, inviting and everything in its place. This would be the perfect escape for her.

Hermione walked through the living room and into the kitchen. Setting the pumpkin down on the kitchen table, she cleaned off the exterior before cutting open it's top. Then, she started to scoop out the guts of the pumpkin, setting them in a colander. Once she was done, she rinsed the pulp mixture, carefully removing the seeds and placing them on a cookie sheet, to be seasoned. She popped the pumpkin seeds into the oven before returning to her pumpkin.

The emotional, bluesy sounds of one of her father's old records started to play. Hermione smiled when she recognized _I Put A Spell On You_. How ironic when she could _actually_ perform spells.

She picked out a knife from the block and began carving her pumpkin. She had just finished one of the pumpkin's triangle eyes when she heard someone enter the room.

Spinning around, knife in hand, Hermione looked at the intruder. "Oh! Nott, it's just you!" she said, relaxing a bit and dropping the knife to the table. She didn't want him to think she was threatening him with a weapon. "You gave me a fright. But, we really must stop meeting this way."

"What are you doing?" he asked, warily eye the knife that was still in her hand.

"Oh, I um...I am making a jack-o-lantern," she replied, stepping aside to show him the pumpkin. "It's a Muggle Halloween tradition. We usually leave them outside our front doors."

He nodded, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room, like he wasn't entirely sure what to do with himself.

"And what brings you to the Room of Requirement today?" she asked, curious as to what he was doing, still standing in her house.

"I was planning on doing some studying. This place normally has books that the library doesn't," he answered.

"You'd rather spend your day studying than out at Hogsmeade?" Hermione asked, incredulous. She didn't know that anyone other than she would rather spend their spare time reading than out with their friends.

Nott snorted. "And what? Hang out with Crabbe and Goyle? Zabini's alright, but not too keen to talk about much besides Quidditch," he said, derisively. "And Malfoy - Merlin! - you would think that the war would have taught him some humility. But, no, he's just as big headed as he always was."

She stared at him in surprise, thinking this was the most she'd ever heard him speak.

He took a deep breath, before he began to backpedal. "Not to say that they aren't my friends - they are, of course - it's just that sometimes...I need a break," he added, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. "But I can see that the Room is in use, so I can just head to the library."

"No, stay!" Hermione said quickly, a blush on her cheeks. "I mean...I don't mind if you stay here. It won't bother me if you wanted to do a little bit of studying."

She was so embarrassed. She had no idea why she was turning into a giant pile of mush around him, or why she even wanted to spend time with him in the first place.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. Obviously, she was attracted to him on a physical level. But as she learned more about him, she was beginning to like him as a person as well. She was beginning to believe that he might be one of the only people who might understand her.

He hesitated for a moment. "Alright, if you don't mind," he finally agreed, before settling down on her parents' couch. He pulled out a few large books and set them on the table in front of him. "And why are you not in Hogsmeade, Granger? Besides Muggle traditions, of course. I thought the Weasley siblings would be taking you and Potter on a double date."

She laughed and shook her head. "No, same as you, I suppose. Although they are my friends, sometimes they can be exhausting," she said with a smirk. "And...Ron and I aren't together. I have no interest in seeing him and Lavender snog for several hours."

Nott looked at her, incredulous. "Are you sure you aren't together? He seems rather...possessive of you," he countered, trying to make it sound off hand.

"I _have_ been meaning to apologize to you about the other week. He was really out of line," she said, her eyes on the table. "I tried to explain that I was just helping you pick up your books, but he seems convinced that you are interested in me romantically." Her cheeks grew hotter when she realized her mistake. She quickly turned and pulled her roasted pumpkin seeds out of the oven."

"And if I was interested in you romantically?" he asked, his voice tentative and soft. "What would Weasley do?"

Hermione was glad that she was facing away from him so he couldn't see the smile that was threatening to break out on her face. Giddy at the prospect of something more with Theo Nott, she stamped down her over eager reaction. "Ronald doesn't have a say in who I am involved with," she said, sure that he'd be able to hear her smile anyway.

A beat of silence passed, before he cleared his throat. "So where are we exactly?" he asked, looking around the homey interior of the Room of Requirement.

"This is...or was, I suppose, my home. Where I lived when I wasn't at Hogwarts," she replied quietly, her good mood dampened. She hadn't really had this conversation with _anyone_ yet, as no one had bothered to ask.

"Won't you move back after school? Until you have a job, of course," he asked.

Hermione sighed, sitting down on the chair opposite him. "When it became clear to me that Harry, Ron and I had to go on the road last year...I knew my parents would be easy targets. I obliviated them - all their memories of me gone, and just a suggestion in their brains that they always had an intense desire to move to Australia. They did," she explained, fighting the lump in her throat.

He nodded. "Smart. But why don't you just go find them now."

She blinked, hoping to hold her tears at bay. "I tried to, but they...they were killed in just a run of the mill Muggle car accident," she said, determined not to cry in front of Nott. "I am an orphan now. All alone," she said. Despite her resolve, her voice cracked. "Sorry, I haven't talked about this with anyone yet."

He stared at her for a moment, the weight of his gaze heavy. "It gets easier," he said finally. "Being an orphan."

Hermione was shocked that he was sharing this with her. She had obviously heard from the rumor mill that he didn't want to talk to anyone about his father's death, but here he was talking about it with her. "What was it like? Losing your father?" she asked, nibbling at her lower lip.

He was silent for a while, but then he cleared his throat. "To explain that, I need to take you to one of my favorite places in Hogwarts," he finally said.

She nodded, standing up. Leaving her pumpkin on the table, she followed Nott out of the Room of Requirement. He took her down to the sixth floor and began walking down an unfamiliar corridor until they reached the very end. Walking through a door, Hermione realized that they were in the Glanmore Peake's Corridor.

Nott absentmindedly grabbed her hand so that she would keep up with him. He was walking quite quickly.

They walked all the way down the hallway and into the East Wing. There he led her through a door that she never would have noticed. This opened up into _another_ passageway that was rather narrow and old. Hermione was immediately struck with the knowledge that she was completely alone with Nott. The castle itself was almost completely empty, but this hallway was...totally unknown.

The silence in the corridor was eerie. There were no echoes or sounds from the stones settling. There was no sign of Peeves or any of the ghosts. Even their footsteps were dampened by the unusual wooden floor. It was as if the passage had never been seen by a witch or wizard.

But still, they pressed on.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, they came across a final door that Nott opened. Hermione was shocked by what she saw. The large room was completely empty, save a huge mural across one of the walls. Hermione reluctantly let go of his hand and stepped forward to get a better look.

It was a tableau of various people all watching with Death - the old, the young, the rich, the poor, the priest, the King. All of them walked with the veiled figure of Death guiding them along.

"It's called _The Dance of Death_ ," Nott's voice said from behind her.

It was so amazing, she almost couldn't look away, but happily listened to Nott's explanation. "My father was in his fifties when he married my mother. She was only sixteen. I was born not much longer," he said. "They were never happy together. I don't think my father actually wanted a wife and there was no way that my mother would have chosen him. She ended up isolated in a big empty house, not allowed to leave. I was five when she died."

"How did she die?" Hermione asked breathless.

"I'm not entirely sure. She just sort of withered away," Nott answered. He stepped forward until they were shoulder to shoulder in front of the painting. "My father and I never had a close relationship. We didn't have the same interests and he was never interested in a relationship with me. I was apathetic to his death."

"But how? He is your father," Hermione said, turning to look at his face and gauge his reaction to her probing. "You really didn't feel anything?"

He gave her a wry smile. "He was not a good man, Hermione," he answered. "But, I accepted that death is an inevitability a long time ago. I found this room in my second year, before I discovered the Room of Requirement. I spent a lot of time wandering the castle alone."

Hermione was aghast that he would do that when he knew that the Heir of Slytherin could have been lurking around. Only, maybe he wasn't worried about meeting the Heir since he was a pureblood.

"This painting helped me understand and accept my mother's death," he continued. "Everyone will die. Death comes for everyone. You cannot hide from him - not if you are a child, not if you are a wizard, not if you have all the riches in the world."

She felt her breath catch when she noticed one particular figure. A completely naked young woman being embraced from behind by the skeletal figure of Death. The scene was overtly sexual, as she seemed to write in his grasp with pleasure.

Hermione felt a shiver go up her spine as Nott leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Even the virginal maiden will die."

Finally, she tore her eyes away from the painting and turned to look into Nott's deep blue eyes. They didn't say anything for a while, just looked at one another. Hermione was shocked. She had only known Nott for a few days and already she felt like he understood her better than anyone else she knew.

He broke eye contact first, to look out the window. "We should leave. If you don't leave here by sunset, the armor won't let you out," he explained.

He took her hand again, this time with full intention. Nott led her back to the Room of Requirement. Hermione felt an overwhelming sense of catharsis entering her bright cheery home again after being in that untouched room.

She also felt very close to Nott.

Wordlessly, he returned to the couch and his books and she began carving her pumpkin again. While she was finishing up, Nott got up and started playing a somber tune on the piano in the living room.

It was an eerie and dark song that she recognized, finding a hint of comfort in how it fit the season. "Franz Liszt. Totentanz," she said, noticing him smiling out of the corner of her eye.

"The Dance of Death," he replied, clearly amused.

"How do you know Liszt?" she asked, listening to the dark notes echo in the upright piano.

"Granger, you of all people should know that Liszt was a wizard," he said, noticing her scoff in response. "Aren't all of his performances described as... _magical_?" he prodded with a smirk.

Hermione blushed. She couldn't be certain that he _hadn't_ been a wizard.

By the time the song was over, Hermione had finished work on her pumping and they both knew that it was time to return to their separate lives. They walked towards the door, Hermione with pumpkin under arm.

"Granger-"

"Hermione," she said, cutting him off. "Please call me Hermione."

He gave her a half smile. "Then will you call me Theo? You were right - the book was useful. I wouldn't mind...exploring some Arithmancy with you," he hedged cautiously.

Before Hermione had the chance to tell him she would enjoy that as well, Theo was leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. His fingers tangled into her hair, pulling her closer to him, until their bodies touched one another. He ran his tongue against the seam of her lips, contemplating deepening it, before he pulled away abruptly.

"See you in class, Hermione," he said, before leaving her alone in the corridor.

Hermione felt flustered and excitement bubble up in her chest. She pressed her lips with her fingers, savoring the memory of Theo's lips. How was it that she'd never talked to him before this year?

She walked back to the Gryffindor common room feeling like she was floating on air. When she got there, she found her friends waiting for her.

"Hey Hermione. We were just about to go to dinner," Ginny said cheerfully, holding Harry's hand. "Want to walk down with us?"

"Sure, just let me put my pumpkin upstairs. I'll be right back down," she answered, still unable to hide her effervescent mood.

When she disappeared up the stairs, she could hear Harry comment on how good of a mood that she was in. She could also hear Ginny's amused response that Hermione probably found a welcome distraction in a wizard.

But she missed Ron pulling his arm away from Lavender at their musings. He was not happy about that. At all.

* * *

Hermione had a bounce in her step the rest of the week. Although she hadn't spoken to Theo again after their brief kiss, whenever he saw her in the hallway he would give her a little smile that made her feel so warm and wanted.

Since the kiss, Ron had been keeping annoyingly close to her. He was actually spending time in the library when she studied, continuously offering to walk her to class and he always sat too close to her at meal times, despite how much it clearly upset Lavender.

It was driving Hermione crazy too. Him being in the library was particularly upsetting because he would sigh petulantly the whole time she was there. Whenever she suggested that he return to the common room, he would become accusatory and ask her if she was meeting _someone_ there.

Ginny and Harry were apologetic about it, but she just couldn't shake her constant shadow.

So, it was a delightful surprise when on Friday morning Theo approached the Gryffindor table at breakfast. Hermione was thoroughly engrossed in a rather large book, trying to ignore Ron's loud quidditch conversation which was interspersed with the sounds of him eating, so she didn't even see him coming until he said her name.

"Granger," he said, making Hermione look up from her book.

Ginny looked utterly shocked.

"Oh, hello Nott. Can I help you?" she asked, only using his last name because he had used hers. Using their first names still felt like a secret that only they knew about. Of course, that wasn't true, though.

"I wanted to let you know that I spoke with Headmaster Snape's portrait and he's agreed to let us use his personal library for our Muggle Studies project," he said coolly, giving her a knowing look. "He said we should use it tomorrow after classes so that he can supervise."

Hermione was perplexed for a moment, but quickly recovered with a smile. They didn't _have_ a Muggle Studies project, but it was clear that Theo was trying to give them an opportunity to meet outside of the library. Headmaster Snape had been killed in the final battle, but they had kept his library and personal study intact. He was extremely selective about who he allowed in.

"Really?" Ron asked Nott rather rudely. "He will only let you use it on a _Friday_ night?"

"Yes," Theo said with a smirk. "Apparently even as a portrait he still has no sense that students might like to do something else on a Friday night besides studying."

"Sounds great, Nott. I'll see you then," Hermione answered, not wanting to give Ron an opportunity to be more rude.

She tried to hide her smile at the idea of a little date with Theo, but a quick glance at Ginny showed her that she hadn't been successful. Ginny was the only one of the group still taking Muggle Studies so she would know that there was no project.

The redhead gave her a quick smile to let her know that she wouldn't share Hermione's secret.

* * *

The following evening, Hermione could barely get through dinner. Her mind was too busy thinking about being alone in a private library with Theo for however long they would be there. She was _also_ giddy at the prospect of exploring Snape's numerous books.

She had taken a little extra time with her makeup. It was subtle but enough to garner a compliment from Ginny. And, even though it felt a little presumptuous, Hermione had sure to wear a clean uniform, with a pretty lace bra and knicker set. She didn't _think_ that anything was going to happen, but it made her feel sexier and gave her a bit of confidence that she wanted to have around Theo.

She hoped that something might happen.

Once she had finished her cottage pie, Hermione stood up and made her way out of the Great Hall. She waited on the other side of the giant oak doors for Theo. It only took him two minutes to join her.

"Hello," she greeted with a smile.

He appeared surprised to see her there. "Waiting for me, Hermione?" he asked with a smirk.

She flushed from his teasing. "Yes, I thought it would be easier for us to just walk to Professor Snape's together," she said.

Hermione looked her classmate over. He appeared to be just as eager as she felt to spend some time together. He didn't have his robe on for a change, so Hermione could fully appreciate his form. His silver and green Slytherin tie was loosened, but still tucked under the grey sweater vest that he wore over white button down shirt.

His eyes were smiling and he was smirking at her. It wasn't in a derisive way, more like he was amused to catch her checking him out. And he didn't seem to mind one bit. "Shall we head down then?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and started off in the direction of the dungeons.

As they walked down the steps, Theo apologized for catching her off guard the day before. "Sorry about the ruse I had to pull. I am glad you just went along with it," he said with a smile. "I've been...wanting to spend a little more time with you, but it seems that you have a new guard dog with you in the library."

They reached the door that marked the entrance to Professor Snape's office. Theo whispered the password and held the door open for you.

Hermione sighed once they were in the safety of the room. "Yes, Ron has been _unusually_ annoying lately. He keeps asking me if I am planning on meeting someone and that's why I don't want to spend time with him," she said with a grin, thinking that it was actually _exactly_ what she wanted. "It's so annoying how jealous he is. We aren't going to date again, especially not when he thought I would just wait for him while he dated other witches."

Theo scowled at hearing that.

She bit her lip, hoping that Theo wouldn't be put off by her relationship issues. She quickly changed the subject.

"So, Theo, what is our project meant to be on?" she asked, looking around the room.

There was a fire crackling away in the fireplace, which was nice because the dungeous were quite chilly. The walls were floor to ceiling stuffed with books. It was an absolute bookworm's dream, and Hermione didn't know why she expected anything less from Headmaster Snape.

"This is so amazing," she whispered. "I hope to have a library like this someday."

"Yes, Headmaster Snape was rather nice to allow us to use it. I _do_ want to spend time with you, but I will admit that this does have a little bit of an academic purpose to it. I was hoping that you could explain to me more about the Salem Witch Trials," he replied, running his fingers through his hair - a sign that he was nervous.

"Of course," Hermione agreed eagerly, walking over to the bookshelves. She quickly found the book she was looking for, thanks in no small part to Professor Snape's impeccable organizational skills. She sat on the plush couch in the center of the room.

Theo flopped down next to her, taking great care not to sit _too_ close to her.

Hermione opened the book and gave him a quick overview of what happened, before answering all of Theo's rapidfire questions.

After a while, his questions petered out. Hermione noticed that at some point in the discussion he had slung his arm on the back of the couch, around her shoulder. Theo was leaning against her to see the book, his warm body pressed against her.

It excited Hermione to feel the hardness of his body, all lean muscle, compared to the softness of her own. She turned her head to look at him and she found that he was staring at her face rather than looking down at the book. Hermione took a deep breath, trying to contain the shudder that was threatening to move through her body.

"The thing that strikes me the most about the Salem Witch Trials is how quickly good people can do such evil things. And all that death...so many innocent people..." she trailed off, suddenly thinking about the war.

He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down in his throat.

Unbidden, Hermione imagined trailing her lips over the column of his neck.

"But remember, Hermione, we are all going to die eventually, so there is no point in worrying about it. You should just live for the now," he argued. To further drive home his point, he was dipping his head, his lips pressing against hers.

The kiss was lazy and his lips felt warm. He slipped his hand into her curls and pulled her closer to him, tilting her head until it was just so. Theo sucked her bottom lip between his, before giving it a nibble.

Hermione felt a shiver race up her spine. She wanted him to do that again. Instead, his tongue was caressing the seam of her lips. She sighed and opened up to him, tentatively moving her tongue against his in a tangle.

She had been kissed before, but nothing could compare with this. Theo made her feel heady - drunk with desire. She pressed her hands against his shoulders, pulling him even closer, so that their bodies were pressed against one another.

Theo gently eased her back, until she was resting against the arm of the couch. She could feel him bring one of his hands to her uniform shirt, his fingers toying with the first button and giving her a chance to protest. When she didn't, he deftly slipped the button through it's hole.

And then another.

And then _another_.

Hermione was shaking in anticipation when she felt the cool air on her exposed decolletage. Gooseflesh formed on her arms and she shivered, even though she knew it wasn't from the cold. She wanted Theo, more than she had ever wanted anyone. She wasn't sure why, but she felt so connected to him.

He broke the kiss, leaning back to look at his handiwork. "Salazar, Hermione. You look...beautiful," he whispered, reverently.

Before she had a chance to respond, he dipped his head again and started kissing her neck, leaving little love bites near her pulse point. A bold hand found the edge of her bra and gently caressed her hidden breast. Hermione could feel her nipple pebble under his smart fingers, and she couldn't hold back her mewl of pleasure.

Theo returned it.

"Ahem," came a voice from the corner, completely halting the moment.

Theo and Hermione jumped apart and looked around, before their eyes settled on the painting of Headmaster Snape over the mantle. It seemed he had a front row view.

"Mister Nott, when you requested use of my library, I understood that there were _some_ romantic intentions involved, but I really must draw the line at second base," he said sternly.

Hermione blushed brightly, before quickly buttoning up her uniform shirt and straightening her skirt.

"Also, it is nearly curfew," Professor Snape said. "You should be heading back to your _separate_ common rooms."

The two teens nodded, leaving the library shortly after.

Theo walked her to the stairs that lead out of the dungeon. He seemed just as flustered as Hermione did for having been caught by the former Headmaster. At the same time, it seemed he didn't have any qualms about what had transpired. "I had a lot of fun studying with you," he said with a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusemens. "Say, I was thinking...about the Halloween dance. Will you save a couple of dances for me?"

Hogwarts had a traditional Halloween dance, but it was much more casual than the Yule Ball. However, it was still a well needed night of distraction and fun for the students, which saw them wear fancy dress.

"I would love that. Maybe we should go as am17th century American witch and wizard," she said with a shy smile.

Theo returned her smile. "Sounds perfect. Perhaps afterwards we could go looking for the Devil in the Forbidden Forest," he suggested.

That thought made Hermione bit her lip to keep in an excited squeal. She couldn't think of any other way to spend Halloween than with Theo. He seemed to have a similar penchant for the macabre that she had during this time of year.

"Goodnight, Hermione," he bade her, placing one last lazy kiss on her lips, before turning towards the Slytherin common room.

Hermione was practically skipping up the stairs out of the dungeon. When she made it to the first floor she was shocked by someone grabbing her. Whirling around in their grasp, she saw that it was Ron.

"Ron! You frightened me!" she scolded, before noting a somewhat crazy look in his eyes.

"Hermione, just what do you think you were going?" he asked, completely serious, with no sign of humon in his eyes.

"Theo and I were working on a project for Muggle Studies," Hermione insisted. "You knew that."

His grip got stronger. "I meant, what were you doing letting him kiss you like that? Don't you realize that he is just playing with you...taking advantage of you?" he asked, his voice steely. "Don't you think that he is running back to Slytherin right now to tell Malfoy and Zabini and all those other snakes about how far he got with Mudblood Granger?"

Hearing Ron use the word Mudblood was upsetting, but she didn't want him to know how much his words hurt her. Worse, she hadn't even thought about what Theo's intentions might be. If he was just using her, it seemed rather sudden. But Ron's words just let the fingers of doubt grab hold of her.

"I-I-"

Ron cut her off before she could even stutter out a rebuttal. He pressed her back against the hard, cold stone of the wall. "Remember, Hermione, you are _mine_ and only mine. I will have you again and no one is going to stand in our way, not even Nott."

"Ron, you are hurting me," she insisted, trying to wiggle free of his firm grip. "And, you are scaring me. I've told you before there is no more _us_."

Then, he let her go. "We'll see about that," he countered. "Let's get back to the common room."

Hermione walked back in silence with Ron, feeling more and more nervous the whole time. She realized that he must have some kind of latent feelings for her, but at this point she had hoped he would have accepted that she didn't return them and moved on. His behavior was quickly growing obsessive.

When they were back in the safety of Gryffindor Tower, Hermione went straight up to the girls' dorms, not saying anything Ron. Ginny was waiting for her on her bed, reading the most recent copy of Witches Weekly.

Ginny looked up when she entered the room and shoved the magazine aside. "Tell me _everything_ , Hermione Granger, you naughty witch!" she said eagerly.

Hermione's good mood started to creep back in. She needed a little bit of girl talk after what she had been through with Ron. Setting down her book bag, Hermione sat next to Ginny on the bed.

"Well, I ran into Theo and he dropped all of his books, which got us talking about Arithmancy. Then, on the last Hogsmeade trip, I was in the Room of Requirement and he happened to stop by," Hermione explained.

"Oh, happened?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

"Yes, and we talked a lot and, well...he kissed me," Hermione said, feeling that giddy feeling again, finally able to share the details with someone. "We've tried to spend time together in the library, but Ron just won't leave me alone."

"And so Nott thought up a wonderful Muggle Studies project in a private Professor's room, so that Ron couldn't interrupt even if he tried! Oh, that's so devious," Ginny said, taking in Hermione's appearance. "And it looked like he used his time wisely," she added, wiggling her eyebrows.

Hermione blushed, looking down and realizing that her buttons didn't quite match up correctly.

Ginny gave her an affectionate punch to her arm. "I thought I told you to tell me everything," she pouted.

The brunette laughed, before giving Ginny a rundown about what had happened, including Professor Snape interrupting them. Then, she told her friend about what Ron had said about Theo using her, hoping to get a little perspective.

"Hermione, Ron is obviously desperate to get you back, so I wouldn't take what he says to heart," Ginny said, rolling her eyes over her brother's behavior. "Also, who cares if Nott is just looking for a snog? So are you! You are a gorgeous, smart witch and perhaps it is you who is taking advantage of him. If you both like each other more than just a kiss, well, then that's all the better."

Hermione nodded in agreement. She hadn't thought about it that way, and it made her feel a bit more comfortable. She still planned on asking Theo what was going on between the two of them the next time she saw him.

"Now tell me what you are going to wear to the dance," Ginny insisted.

* * *

Hermione had found the most perfect spot in the whole library. She was annoyed that it had taken her eight years to discover it, though.

It was up on the second floor in the stacks and up a second staircase to a mezzanine level. She was positive that Ron wouldn't be able to find it, as she highly doubted that it was even included on the Marauders' Map. There was a window seat with a comfy cushion and a desk big enough for two people.

She subtly told Theo about it during class and he found her in the little corner of the library.

They met there everyday for the whole week, spending half of their time actually studying and half of their time snogging, moving a little further each time. Finally, on Thursday, Hermione pushed him away slightly so she could look into his confused, blue eyes.

Oh, he had the loveliest eyes. She could spend all day looking at them.

Maybe she was a bit lovesick.

"Theo, I have to ask...what are we doing?" she asked, hesitantly.

He ran his hand through his light brown hair, in a motion that was now familiar to her. "Well, I thought it was obvious. I really like you, Hermione," he told her, honestly.

She smiled. "I really like you, too," she responded in earnest. "It just all seems to be happening so fast. I haven't felt this way about anyone else before."

"I agree," Theo said. "I've gone from being physically attracted to you, to actually learning about you and finding that you are an amazing witch. I feel like you understand me better than any of my friends in Slytherin."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then, he kissed her nose, and then finally her lips. His lips were hot against hers and they fell back into an easy rhythm.

Hermione pressed her body as close as possible to his, before moving to straddle his lap. She sighed in delight when she felt the hardness of his cock pressed against her center, separated only by his trousers and her knickers. She felt his hands reach under her uniform skirt to rest on her arse. This was by far the furthest they had ever gone, but Hermione only wanted to take it further.

She reached behind her, fumbling around on the table until she found her wand. Once it was in hand, she began putting up silencing and notice-me-not spells, despite the fact that they had never even seen another person up there.

Theo leaned back to look at her, lips well kissed and skin flushed. "What are you doing?" he asked, only to egg her on further by kissing a trail down her neck to her collar bone.

"Can't you tell?" Hermione asked, with a hint of laughter in her voice. She shifted her hips against him, relishing the sound of his involuntary moan. "I want to go all the way."

"Here, in the library?" he asked, incredulous, but not letting up on what he was doing to her body.

Sweetly, Hermione took his face in her hands and kissed him soundly on the lips. "Yes, I want you to be my first," she whispered, before diving in for another kiss, only to be rebuffed.

Theo's hands shot up and grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands away from his face, and pinning them to her sides. He forced her to meet his eyes. "No, Hermione," he said firmly.

Immediately, Hermione deflated. "What, don't you like it?" she asked, feeling heartbroken.

"Yes, of course I like it! I think you can _feel_ how much I like it," Theo argued back. "But I can't let you have your first time in a library, on the spur of the moment. You need to be certain that this is what you want."

She wriggled insistently against him. "I know this is what I want and I am sure I won't regret it. Please, Theo," she practically begged.

"Hey, I didn't say that I wouldn't _ever_. It's just..." he took a deep breath to focus. "You need something more special than the library on only a moderately comfortable bench. I know somewhere we can go."

He must have been her face brighten because he immediately clarified. "And not today. One Halloween. That way we can take our time together."

She sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to convince him otherwise. Although she was frustrated, she was delighted that he was being so considerate of her and her feelings. She pressed on last kiss to his lips and slid off of his lap.

Theo looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Are you really a virgin?" he asked, slyly, noticing her blush. "I would have thought Weasley or Krum..."

"Viktor? I was fifteen, Theo!" she said, shocked.

He laughed at her. "Hey, I was fifteen once and I know how wizards can be. Plus, he's an international Quidditch star. Don't most girls go for that."

"Most girls," she said with a shrug. "But not me."

* * *

Hermione glanced down at the outfit she had selected for the Halloween dance. She wasn't sure how historically accurate it was after some of the ... adjustments Ginny had made to it, but she liked it. She doubted that anyone would be able to tell.

She wore a long, oatmeal colored dress that swept the floor over a ruffled petticoat. A blue apron went on top of that. Ginny had contributed a sort of corset that gave Hermione a pleasing amount of cleavage. It was tasteful and sultry, not over the top. Although she was a little embarrassed to see herself in the mirror, she appreciated her friend's effort.

Ginny and Harry had decided to go as Ariel and Prince Eric at Harry's suggestion. It was certainly something that the Wizarding world would not have seen before, but she knew several of the Muggleborns would get a kick out of it. And, Ron would absolutely flip when he saw Ginny's revealing outfit, which would give her a chance to slip down to the Great Hall, unnoticed.

As the pair walked down the stairs, what she predicted came true. When Ron saw Ginny come down, he immediately marched over to her, grabbed her arm and began trying to transfigure her costume.

Hermione smiled and walked over to Harry, who was watching the Weasleys bickering. "Harry, I am going to the Great Hall," she told him.

Harry nodded in agreement, but stopped her before she could leave. "I've noticed you've been a lot happier this month. Ginny told me you found a guy," he started awkwardly. "Is he treating you right?"

Hermione was a little shocked that Ron hadn't told Harry about seeing her with Theo. "Yes, he is. And he does make me very happy," Hermione told him with a shy smile."

"Are you going to tell me who he is?" Harry pressed.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ha, so you can intimidate him? I don't think so Harry Potter," she answered with a laugh. "You can see use together tonight and suss out his intentions with me tomorrow. Just, let me have this night."

"If you insist."

Hermione looked to see that Ginny and Ron were still arguing. "See you three in a little bit," she said.

When Hermione left the common room, she practically ran down to the Great Hall, excited for the dance. She hadn't been looking forward to something so much since the Yule Ball. When she walked down the grand staircase, she saw Theo waiting for her at the bottom.

She smirked when she saw his outfit. It was less Puritan America and more like riding attire. He wore tan britches and tall dark boots, with a loose white linen shirt tucked in. It's lacing was only partially done up, leaving an exposed patch of chest. He looked rather dashing, like the hero out of a romance novel.

Hermione skipped down the stairs and he kissed her on the lips, catching her off guard. Although they had been seeing each other in secret, neither of them had brought up making it public. However, it seemed like Theo no longer cared to keep it a secret.

"You look beautiful," he said, his honesty reflected in his blue eyes. "Shall we go in?"

She nodded and allowed him to lead her into the Great Hall. It was decorated wonderfully, but Hermione couldn't help but think that it was a child's idea of Halloween. Huge bowls of candy were placed on every table and cobwebs were draped from the chandeliers. The Weird Sisters were playing on the stage in front of a mass of people on the dancefloor, dressed as vampires, muggles, and fairies.

The couple stopped by the punch bowl before hitting the dance floor, only to be stopped by Professor Binns. "Ah, I see you two have turned to history for your costumes," he said.

Hermione smiled and nodded. "We looked to the Salem Witch Trials for inspiration."

"We just learned about it in Muggle Studies," Theo added, winking at Hermione.

"Very good! I am impressed with your ingenuity," he complimented. "Oh, and I feel I should warn you: go easy on the punch. I think I saw Seamus Finnegan put in quite a bit of Firewhiskey."

Hermione rolled her eyes, thinking it would be just like Seamus to do something like that. Regardless, she was still going to drink it, even if the bit of firewhiskey made her eyes burn and warmed her stomach.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Harry, Ginny, Ron and Lavender entering the room. She really wasn't ready for a confrontation yet, so she grabbed Theo's hand. "Want to go dance now?" she asked, pulling him towards it.

They danced for a few songs. Neither of them were particularly good dancers, but it was still fun. The Weird Sisters were doing a good job, playing all sorts of songs. It wasn't long before they grew thirsty, though, so they made their way to the punch table for a second drink.

Hermione barely had time to bring her cup to her lips before Ron was grabbing her away from Theo. "Ronald! What are you doing?" she demanded, doing her best not to spill her drink all over."

Ron didn't even wait to get out of Theo's earshot. "What the hell do you think you are doing, coming to the dance with that bloody Slytherin?" he asked. "I thought I made myself clear - you are mine."

Hermione was not going to put up with his behavior any longer. "I am not your's and I never will be," she insisted, pulling her arm free of his grasp. "Now please leave Theo and I alone."

Theo had moved to stand behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder for reassurance. Even though Ron was tall, Theo was taller, and he shrank under the Slytherin's gaze.

"Let's go have another dance, Hermione," Theo said finally, breaking the tension.

She was happy to go along with him, taking his arm as he led her back to the dance floor.

Once they were alone, Hermione immediately began apologizing for Ron's behavior. "I don't know what's gotten into him," she lamented, wondering when their friendship had gone so wrong. "I have told him so many times that we aren't going to have a relationship."

Theo kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about it tonight, Hermione," he reassured her. "But tomorrow, I think you should let Headmistress McGonagall know. I don't want to have to keep sneaking around to see you."

Hermione smiled at the thought. She was excited and nervous to formally introduce him to her friends as her boyfriend. She hoped that Harry wouldn't be too hard on him.

The Weird Sisters had started to play a slower, ballad version of _I Put a Spell on You_ , and it reminded her of that day she spent with Theo in the Room of Requirement. It felt like a good omen.

He pulled her close to his body, so that there was no room between them. With his arms wrapped around her and her head resting on his chest, they swayed side to side in time with the music. When Hermione looked up, he was smirking down at her. "You know, this song reminds me of you," he whispered. "I feel like you've put a spell on me. I can't believe how much I've grown to like you in such a short span of time. You are bewitching."

"I know how you feel," she answered. "I feel so close to you. But I promise that I have used any spells or love potions," she added with a grin, before standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips.

Theo joined her in her amusement. When the song came to its end, he stilled their movements. "Are you ready to get out of here?" he asked, whispering into her ear so that only she could hear him.

Hermione swallowed, but nodded eagerly. She was more than ready.

As Hermione and Theo headed out of the Great Hall, they both failed to notice the brooding look of Ron Weasley, following their every movement.

The pair stopped by a broom cupboard in the entrance hall and transfigured two brooms into cloaks because of how cold it had gotten outside. Once they were fully covered, they opened the big oak doors and headed outside.

The brunette followed after Theo, unsure of where they were going. "I know you said you wanted to look for the Devil in the fest, but where are you taking me, Mister Nott?" she asked.

"Someplace special," Theo answered. "I doubt that most people at Hogwarts even know about it."

They made their way down the main path. A thick, white fog was rolling off of the Black Lake, obscuring the visibility. They walked along the Lake's edge in the direction of the greenhouses. With a huge full moon in the sky, its light gave the grounds an eerie glow. Hermione couldn't have imagined a more perfect Halloween night.

When they reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, she could tell that it was alive with activity. Hermione grabbed Theo's hand, feeling a thrill of nervousness. "It's so spooky," she whispered, a laugh bubbling up in her chest.

"I thought you enjoyed spooky," he answered.

"I do!" she insisted. "Will you tell me where we are going now? Surely we have to nearly be there. We are near the edge of school grounds."

"We are going to the Herbology Professor's House. It's been abandoned for a while, since Professor Sprout is Head of Hufflepuff, so she has to leave in the castle," Theo explained, before pausing. "I hope you don't mind, it _is_ right next to a cemetery."

That thought startled her. "I don't mind. I just...I had no idea that Hogwarts even had a cemetery. It's not mentioned in _Hogwarts, A History_..." she trailed off.

Her eyes settled on the building. It was an adorable little cottage, right on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, next to a small, personal greenhouse. It wasn't too far off from the student greenhouses, but it was behind a bend in the Forbidden Forest, so she doubted that anyone would ever see it. On the far side of the cottage, there was a small cemetery, surrounded by a stone fence.

Hermione tore her eyes from the cemetery, as they had finally arrived at the door. Theo opened it and held it open for Hermione to go into the darkness. He mumbled a spell and a fire came to life in the hearth, filling the cottage with cheery light and warmth, illuminating the small one-room haven.

There was a desk underneath one of the windows and a bed in the corner. In front of the fireplace there was a small settee, which Hermione would use as a reading nook. One of the wall had several bookshelves, stuffed full of Herbology texts.

It was perfect.

Hermione could tell that Theo had spent some time cleaning it up and she appreciated the effort. She turned to look at him and found him looking nervous, standing near the door and waiting for her opinion.

"Theo, I love it," she said with a grin. "Thank you so much for doing this for me."

It took only three steps to close the gap between them. And then, she was on him in a rush of kisses, trying to pull him towards the bed.

He pulled away and Hermione could not stop herself from groaning in exasperation. "Hermione, I have to ask one last time," Theo said, completely serious. "Are you absolutely certain you want to do this now? With me?"

"Yes, I am sure," she insisted, reaching up to unclasp her cloak, letting it fall to the floor in a heap.

Feeling his eyes on her, Hermione repeated the action on his cloak, before untangling the laces of his shirt. Pulling the fabric apart, she pulled it up to untuck his shirt from his trousers.

Theo groaned and pressed his hands on her shoulder, finally walking her back until her knees hit the bed.

She tumbled back against the bed and watched with bated breath as he pulled his shirt up over his head, throwing it behind him. Hermione bit her lip, drinking in every bit of his pale skin. He was certainly lean but with enough muscle definition to be very appealing. He certainly wasn't the weedy little boy he'd been when they were first years.

He joined her on the bed, looming over her body. His lips met hers urgently and distracted her while his deft fingers worked to unlace her corset. Eventually, he had to break their kiss to get a better look at it. "Salazar, Hermione, this looks so good on you, but it's bloody difficult to get undone," he said, breaking the tension.

Hermione assisted him with a laugh, dropping it to the floor when it was finally off. This time when their chests pressed against one another, they were separated only by the thin fabric of her dress. She could feel her nipples harden from the feeling and blushed.

Theo did not seem to mind and instead nudged her legs apart, so that he could be cradled by her thighs. His hand cupped her breast, gently stroking her nipple through the fabric, making her sigh at how lovely it all felt. She deepened the kiss, their tongues slipping against each other.

His boots dropped to the floor in a clatter, which only served to make Hermione more impatient. Theo pulled her dress by the hem, up over her head. She shivered at suddenly being exposed to the cold. He then stood and shuffled out of his trousers while Hermione pulled down the petticoat that was cinched at the waist, leaving her completely bare to his eyes.

"Do you mean to tell me that you wore no knickers the whole evening?" he asked, his Adam's apple bobbing in his throat at the thought.

Hermione blushed, but did nothing to cover her nakedness.

His blue eyes trailed over her body, before settling on her face with reverence. "You are gorgeous," he told her.

For her part, Hermione was having a hard time keeping her eyes off of his cock, which was straining against the fabric of his boxer briefs. Boldly, he caught the elastic with his thumbs and pulled them down until he was as naked as she was. Hermione felt her lips part in awe, wondering how it would feel to have him inside her.

He rejoined her on the bed, brushing a stray curl behind her ear before cupping her cheek. Their lips met again, only now the kiss was tender and full of the promise of many kisses to come.

Hermione was no longer cold, warmed by the feeling of his body against hers and desire pooling between her thighs. She could feel his hand caress her body, sliding along the dip of her waist and the flair of her hips, until his fingers found her center. He hissed when he felt how slick she had grown, letting his fingers slip between her folds before toying with the small pearl at the top of her sex.

She had never been touched this way before, and it was making Hermione keen with desire. Unbidden, her hips were rocking, wanting something more. "Ready?" she asked, feeling impatient.

"It might feel a bit uncomfortable at first," he said, apologies in his blue eyes. "But it will get better, I promise." Grabbing his cock, he positioned himself to the dip of her entrance. And then, he pushed forward, slowly.

Biting the side of her cheek, Hermione conceded that he was right - it did feel uncomfortable. An odd stretching as she parted for him, but one that fell away quickly to a feeling of fullness, completeness when they were fully joined.

Wanting to ease her hurt, Theo kissed her again hoping to distract her as her body relaxed to accommodate his size. Once he sensed she was read, he pulled out before entering her again.

Hermione moaned against his lips, in complete delight at the sensation. Theo was right again - it did get better. "Again?" she murmured against his lips, wanting to feel that again and again and again.

He was willing to oblige to her demands. Theo quickly found a pace that suited them both, making Hermione moan with every stroke. Grabbing one of her knees, he pressed one leg back up towards her chest, allowing for a deeper penetration. Soon, he was unable to hold back his own groans as the pair of them hurtled closer and closer to completion.

The new angle also allowed him to hit a certain spot inside of her that had Hermione gasping his name. She held completely still, not wanting to do anything to disrupt him from finding that spot again and again, until she was finally snapping into orgasm, her body shivering in pleasure. She could feel her toes curl and her fingers held onto his arms as wave after wave of sensation coursed through her.

Theo was not far behind her and came with just a few more thrusts, pressing his face into the crook of her shoulder.

Hermione would have been happy to hold him like that for the rest of the night, but he soon rolled over onto the bed so she couldn't be completely crushed. Unwilling to be parted from her for long, he pulled her body to his, so that her head rested on his bare chest.

She could hear his heart beating wildly behind his ribcage, drawing a smile from her. "That was...so perfect, Theo," she told him, glad that he'd put such care into her first time.

Even though she wanted to spend the rest of the night, the clock on the mantle eventually struck midnight and they knew they couldn't linger any longer.

"I suppose we should head back. I don't really fancy detention with Filch for a month," Theo finally said, giving her a lazy kiss. He stood up from the bed and quickly began redressing.

Hermione did the same, her mind spinning a mile a minute as she thought about something that had been on her mind for a long time. She knew that now was the perfect time to tell Theo the truth. "Theo, I have to tell you...I...I really lo-"

Before she could get out the three little words she was longing to say, the door was bursting open. Ron Weasley darkened the entrance, wand drawn and face distorted in rage. "How dare you?" he roared.

"Ron!" Hermione shrieked in fright. "What the hell are you doing?" she demanded, feeling genuinely frightened for her safety for the first time.

His eyes revealed the hurt that he clearly felt, nearly on the verge of tears. "Hermione, you were mine. How could you defile yourself with this...this Death Eater Slytherin?" he asked, still crazy with rage from this imagined betrayal.

Hermione reached for her wand, only to remember that she'd left it on the nightstand by the bed.

Theo was able to draw his wand, though and quickly disarmed Ron. " _Expelliarmus!_ " he shouted, deftly catching Ron's wand.

Ron started to laugh. "I am going to show you, Hermione," he said, his voice dangerously low. "If I can't have you, _no one_ can." He reached behind him, only to pull out a dagger.

Theo stared at him dumbfounded.

"Please be reasonable," Hermione begged, but the words stuck in her throat as Ron rushed forward, thrusting the dagger into her chest. She wasn't able to formulate any words, falling to her knees as her dress was quickly stained red with blood.

Ron pulled out the dagger, watching with perverse delight as the life left her eyes.

Then he turned his attention to Theo. "Don't think I forgot about you," he said with a sneer.

Theo stood in shock, wondering if what he'd seen had really happened. Had Weasley _really_ just killed Hermione? His Hermione? The witch that he loved?

His wand hand went limp.

He barely recognized the sharp sting of the dagger as it entered his chest near his heart. When Weasley removed the dagger, he felt himself crumpling to the ground next to Hermione, staring into her beautiful brown eyes as he took his last breath.

But he was sure it all must have been a horrible dream when a few seconds later he felt his eyes open. Theo stood up.

Weasley was still in the room with them, holding the bloody dagger in hand. Only, he was starting at Theo, in absolute terror. He dropped the dagger and fled the cottage.

Theo heard a noise and turned to check on Hermione, seeing her struggling to get up.

And that's when his heart sank.

It hadn't been a dream, it was just that they had become ghosts.

Hermione still looked as gorgeous as she did when she was living, even though she was translucent. She was dressed in her costume, as he was he, he supposed. She looked at him and seemed to catch on quicker to what had happened to them. She cried for a few seconds, before her face was contorted in rage.

"Let's get him," she snarled.

Theo nodded, before walking towards the door. It was odd, being a ghost. They didn't even need to open it, they could just glide right through the solid wall.

Weasley was still there in the garden, staring at the cottage in shock. Hermione turned her head to see what had caught his attention.

The cemetery, previously still and quiet, had come alive. One by one, ghosts were rising up from their graves, shaking and groaning, as if they hadn't been up in a long time.

When Ron finally looked back at the cottage, he saw the couple walking towards them.

"You should have run, Weasley," Hermione taunted, pure malice in her voice.

He did not need to be told twice. He took off running as fast as he could back towards the castle. Unfortunately for him, he was unfamiliar with this part of the grounds and it was still too foggy to see much. But, with dozens of ghosts on his tail, he knew he couldn't stop. Gripped with fear, he ran through the branches, cutting his face and arm.

It was as if the Forest was helping them.

Hermione and Theo were gaining on him by the time he passed the student greenhouses, while he was panting. He knew he couldn't stop until he got to the castle, so he kept running.

When he reached the giant oak doors, he had only a few seconds lead on the ghosts who were hungry for blood. The doors wouldn't open no matter how hard he pounded on the doors, begging to be let in.

And then, Hermione was whispering in his ear. "You can't escape the dance of death."

He was engulfed, unable to stop himself from screaming.


End file.
